The present invention relates to the separation of a beam of isotopes in a first state of ionization into its isotopic components, and more particularly, it relates to efficiently separating such a beam by successive addition of energy to the beam to successively accelerate the isotopic components of the beam to the optimum velocity for efficient conversion in respective charge-exchange cells to opposite states of ionization to enable separation of the oppositely charged isotopic components by means of a field for deflecting the oppositely charged isotopic components in substantially different directions.
In general, isotope separation in relatively large quantities has been accomplished by means including cryogenic distillation, thermal diffusion, gaseous diffusion, centrifuges, chemical exchange, distillation, chromatographic columns, and electromagnetic fields such as in the calutron. In one prominent plant for separating the isotopes of hydrogen, the processes used include cryogenic distillation, thermal diffusion, and chromatographic column processes. However, the plant had a capital cost of 100 million dollars. Moreover, in prior art processes for large scale separation of isotopes, the chemical processes used require large inventories of individual isotope materials to be tied up in the plant in addition to the required input of combined isotopes that are separated in the process. In particular, the chemical separation of deuterium and tritium is estimated to require an inventory in the range of 100 liters of liquid tritium for separating a joint source of deuterium and tritium at a rate of 2 kg/hr. Tritium, because of its scarcity and radioactivity, is both expensive and hazardous. Thus, large inventories of tritium, because of the amount involved, are especially hazardous in the event of a rupture of the containing vessel. There is additional hazard where tritium is separated at a plant that is remote from the place of use since transportation entails loading and unloading a container, a process during which extra precautions would need to be taken against a spill. Additional precautions would also be required against rupture of the vessel in transit, as well as against the tritium contamination of the vessel and the filling and unloading equipment.